


Crush

by ProwlingThunder



Series: The Everlasting List of Shenanigans [69]
Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Canon History, Gen, M/M, Other, Puppy Crushes, Unrequited affection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-01
Updated: 2014-05-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 11:09:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1548473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ProwlingThunder/pseuds/ProwlingThunder
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt!Fill. Modern AU.</p><p>Rauf teaches class, and Altair teaches class, and then the class teaches class.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crush

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ZpanSven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZpanSven/gifts).



As an instructor, part of Rauf's duty is to tend to his students; to teach, to listen, to keep the peace, to be a Mentor without the mantle. He might be the weapon's master, might have them for only a single class in all their studies, but for that class they were his.

 

Hilal is young, and impressionable, and good at what he does; he takes to a dagger instead of a sword, and shys away from guns.

 

Whenever Altair walks through the courtyard, the other students make him eat dust.

 

There's not much about that Rauf can do about it. Altair comes and goes as Al Mualim pleases, unheaded, unhurried. The Mentor's personal eagle, and a great Assassin. Who wouldn't idolize him? It's part of why Hilal ends up face first in the arena. They show off.

 

Altair looses his grace, and falls from his place in the hiarchy, not long before Hilal is to transfer out; he wants to do a year of informant work in another city. That's his choice. He's young, and quick to learn; an Assassin will see his potential and take him under wing soon enough, Rauf thinks. But it wont be the Assassin Hilal wants.

 

"Ah, Altair! Come show my students how it is to wield a blade."

 

He does. He's graceful on the battlefield, which is probably part of his problem. He's good at what he does. He's lethal. And he knows it.

 

The demonstration doesn't last long. Altair is riding out to Jerusalem, he has work to do. Rauf thanks him for his time anyway, watches him leave without looking back, and listens to a derisive snort from one of his students.

 

"What was that? He's not even our rank anymore. Al Mualim stripped him of it!"  
  
Rauf turns at once, ready to castigate the poor soul, but he stops at the site of them. Hilal, eyes sharp and flinted, has the speaker in a deadlock, arms pinned and knees bent. There is a dagger in there somewhere, live steal; it is against the Creed to kill a Brother, on penality of death, but Hilal does not dig deep. He barely draws blood.

 

It's enough to shut the whole class up. Everyone knows Hilal is dead last; everyone can beat him.

 

Rauf knows better.

 

"Altair Ibn-La'Ahad is a great Assassin, Samin; and he still wears a Master's whites. Do not dismiss his talents. He is better than you will ever be."

 

Rauf folds his arms and does not intervene. Samin has always been Hilal's greatest bully, and now that Hilal has turned the tables, it is well justified.

 

Besides, Rauf knows Samin's secrets as well. But Masyaf is not so new-age that they will accept what Samin wants of Hilal, or what Hilal wants of Altair. And he does not know how to help them with their issues, because he cannot deal with his own.

 

Rauf glances up to the landing where a narrow-eyed Assassin in journeyman grays is watching, and thinks perhaps it would be better if he himself did not have a crush on someone just as unattainable.


End file.
